Smith, in reflecting on Nolan’s three-plus seasons (2005-08) as head coach of the 49ers, insisted he harbors no ill will. Nolan drafted Smith in ’05 and later publicly feuded with him over the severity of Smith’s shoulder injury, which ultimately required two surgeries.

“I was a young player, and I feel like I grew up a lot and learned a lot from that entire situation,” Smith said Tuesday. “Yeah, we got along really well after that. … I saw my fault in it. We definitely moved on – no hard feelings, no resentment at all.”

Nolan had a hand in building this 49ers team. Among the players drafted on his watch were Smith, running back Frank Gore, tight end Vernon Davis, linebacker Patrick Willis and safety Dashon Goldson.

Smith gave Nolan credit for helping lay the foundation, saying, “For sure, he’s a piece of it.” Goldson seemed more reluctant, pausing for a few seconds when asked about Nolan.

“He was a pretty good coach,” Goldson said. “He did some good things when he was here, definitely. It’s just a different feeling around here lately. It’s hard to go back to where we were, because we’ve had a lot of success lately.”

Speed demons: Running back LaMichael James, good-naturedly asked if he could think of a player on the team faster than Colin Kaepernick – maybe you, dude? – didn’t take the bait.

“He’s up there with all of us,” James said. “He’s top five.”

Kaepernick faked a read-option handoff to James before bolting on his electrifying, 56-yard touchdown run Saturday against the Packers. James was the first 49ers player to reach Kaepernick in the end zone, but James didn’t see much of the play.

“I remember he faked it, I saw everyone come up on me and he was gone,” James said. “That’s the only thing I could see, the back of his jersey.”

Kaepernick as pitchman: He runs! He throws! He sells season tickets?

The University of Nevada is using its increasingly famous alum, Kaepernick, in a campaign to drum up season-ticket sales for the Wolf Pack’s 2013 season.

The promotion: Fans who purchase or renew two or more season tickets before Feb. 1 will be entered in a drawing to win four pregame field passes and game tickets to the 49ers’ home opener next season.

Honor for Aldon Smith: Outside linebacker Aldon Smith was named NFC Defensive Player of the Year in “101 Awards” voting by a nationwide panel of 101 sportswriters and broadcasters who regularly cover the league.

Smith collected 19.5 sacks this season, second most in the NFL behind Houston’s J.J. Watt (20.5).